You Have Forgotten Me
by Shelly Lane
Summary: A hyena explains her side of the story and mentions her interactions with other hyenas and lions. Referenced: all 3 movies, the caroon series, the Broadway show, and brief mention of Nat'l Geographic episode. All titles are quotes. I own nothing.
1. Endless Night

**Endless Night**

The explosion of color slowly faded as the sun began to set over the savanna.

"Mama, why don't we ever visit the lions?"

"Lions will kill you," the mother hyena explained.

"Don't lions also eat meerkats and warthogs?"

"Timon and Pumbaa helped raise King Simba. That's why he doesn't harm them."

"Would the king like us too if we did something kind for him, Mama?"

"He would not allow it. Hyenas and lions have been enemies for as long as anyone can remember. In fact, many years ago, King Simba was almost killed by hyenas."

"So he's going to judge our entire species by a few problems that happened a long time ago? It doesn't make sense!"

The mother sighed. "Someday you will know, my dear child. When you grow up, you will understand hatred and prejudgment. You will comprehend the rules of war and the war of rules."

"What's the difference between the rules of war and the war of rules?"

"You'll know soon enough." She attempted to change the subject. "Why don't you go tell your aunt good night? She might have a story for you."

That's how I came to have my niece visiting me at dusk.

"_Usiku mwema_,_ shangazi_."

"Good night to you too, niece," I answered.

"Aunt?"

"Yes?"

"Are hyenas and lions enemies?"

"I'm afraid so."

"And it can't ever be changed, right?"

I almost started laughing. "The Serengeti is full of such myths. Has no one ever taught you the truth about such common beliefs?"

She got comfortable, ready to hear the story.

"First of all, you need to learn about your own species." With that, I began teaching her about the animal I know more about than any other.


	2. My Words Are a Matter of Pride

**My Words Are a Matter of Pride**

I've heard it all before. We're just slobbering, mangy, stupid poachers. A hyena with half a brain is considered gifted. Go ahead and hate us if you want. We're used to it by now.

Long, long ago, in times even Rafiki would consider ancient, lions and hyenas were equal. Neither was in authority over the other, and neither had any reason to fear the other's presence, for these two species were friendly toward each other at all times. Hyena cubs had no reason to hide in dens to avoid lions, and lion cubs did not tremble in the presence of hyenas.

One day, a problem came to that archaic savanna, destroying the idea of a natural paradise. Some claim the problem was famine while others believe it was a fire or the invasion of human beings, but it happened so long ago that no one is really sure. No matter what the difficulty was, the threat was so great that everyone on the grassland panicked. One lion, Uhodari, met with a certain hyena, Akili, to discuss a solution.

"I have the answer," Akili stated after they had pondered the situation, "but it will require great courage."

After Akili explained his idea, Uhodari replied, "It is a brilliant plan! I will take it upon myself to put this clever idea of yours into action!"

At great risk to himself, Uhodari successfully carried out Akili's plan, thus saving everyone on the savanna. That's when the real trouble began, a trouble so great that the previous threat dimmed in comparison.

Uhodari was admiring his reflection in the waterhole one day. "I am fearless. I have saved my homeland. My mane is handsome enough to befit such a mighty warrior. All will look up to me in admiration and bless the names of my descendants until the end of time. Out of gratitude for my greatness, all should serve me."

He began on a small scale. His first task was asking that everyone pay tribute to him so he could keep up his strength "in case another terrible disaster should strike our pristine home." Gradually he became bored with small tribute and demanded that everyone treat him as their king and obey all his commands. No one dared argue with him, for even an elephant is at risk when confronting a group of lions. The tyrant Uhodari was the first lion king. He taught his sons and daughters that lions were better than all other animals, so they were royalty. Although not cruel, his children believed him. Uhodari's descendants have been ruling over the rest of us ever since. So great was their ancestor's vanity that everyone began calling a group of lions a "pride," and the area where they spent most of their time naturally came to be known as the "Pride Lands" while Uhodari's throne came to be called "Pride Rock." In fact, Uhodari even believed that the stars were past lions who had been admired for their prominence!

Akili was the complete opposite. He sought no reward for his part in saving the savanna, and he had no wish to lord over anyone. For a time, he even willingly submitted to Uhodari's kingship. One day when Uhodari was feeling especially pompous, the king made a speech about the terrible qualities of hyenas.

"My subjects," the lion tyrant began, "you must have nothing to do with hyenas. They are ugly. They do not have beautiful manes, such as the one I have. They do not have loud roars like mine. They are the sorriest creatures on the planet, and they are lowdown scavengers!"

I would pause for the briefest moment to explain that while we do scavenge sometimes, we hyenas are actually capable hunters. In fact, it's more common for lions to steal our meat than for us to steal theirs. The rumor that we're too lazy to hunt got started when a lion took some food from hyenas. When a human being noticed the hyenas waiting to get their meal back, the human thought it was the lion's meal and the hyenas were the thieves. (I despise human beings, but that's another story.)

Everyone becomes angry if you spread false rumors about them, and Akili was no exception. Although he was the docile, forgiving sort, Akili stopped associating with Uhodari. When other hyenas heard what lions were saying about them, they killed the youngest lion cub to show that hyenas still had some form of power. Naturally, the lions were furious and retaliated. The two species have been at war ever since. Our battles have continued for so many centuries that no one really remembers how they started. (I only know because I spent nearly a decade trying to find out the truth, and I finally succeeded last year.) Everyone knows our two species are destined to hate each other forever, for how can a conflict this great and this long-standing ever be laid to rest?

Even to this day, we hyenas have a horrible reputation, thanks to the false rumors that have been taught since the days of King Uhodari. When I was a cub, the other animals treated me as an outcast.

"Look!" a mother leopard would whisper to her own cub. "That's a hyena! Remember how we talked last night about how hyenas are sniveling cowards who are not to be trusted?"

"Bloodthirsty creature!" a serval exclaimed as I walked by. "We all have to kill to survive. That's just the way nature intended things to be, but you do more than that! You murder for no reason and kill more than you can eat!"

I never understood why we were so hated, not only by lions, but by other creatures as well. Jackals and birds of prey attack meerkats more often than hyenas do, and a lion or leopard would also eat a captured meerkat, yet I can still hear that song haunting my nightmares, the song that seems to be a favorite of all meerkats.


	3. Quick Before the Hyena Come

**Quick Before the Hyena Come**

Hatred can drive someone to do the strangest things. I responded to the lions' hatred of my species by avoiding them and trying not to cause any trouble, but there were three hyenas that refused to do so. Their idea of fun was massive retribution. I personally think they have no right, but I mustn't contradict them because they are our clan leaders.

The least troublesome is Ed. For the record, he used to be eloquent.

"Let's go kill an antelope!" Banzai would suggest.

"We had antelope yesterday!" Shenzi would argue. "I'd rather eat zebra!"

"In my humble opinion, I sincerely believe a meerkat would be rather fitting," Ed would state. "They have fewer calories and require less effort to catch, and given the temperature of the day, it would be unwise for us to exert ourselves. Furthermore, if we do not keep our weight under control, we won't be as efficient hunters, and the lions will conquer us with no difficulty."

It so happened that some humans were camping on the savanna. I never understood that either. When will humans learn not to interfere with our lives? When they invade our home, it's called a "safari." When we invade their homes, it's called an "intrusion." When they kill us, it's "hunting," even though they don't eat us. When we kill them, it's "cruelty," even though we never kill what we don't eat, unless of course we're defending ourselves. I don't understand all these double standards. If I could speak Human, I would demand an explanation.

Anyway, these humans were more careless than usual. They left behind something called "coffee." Being curious, Ed sampled a little. He spent the rest of the day unable to speak, paralyzed by fits of hysterical laughter. He was never the same after that. I don't claim that a small taste of coffee permanently changed his mentality, but it certainly didn't help matters. In my opinion, Ed always was a lunatic, and the coffee just pushed him over the edge. (I personally have never tried coffee, soda, tea, or any other human beverage. Water was good enough for my ancestors, and it suits me just fine.)

The real problem with the abandoned human camp began in the meerkat colony. There was one meerkat who decided he wanted to explore too.

"Timon, be reasonable!" his mother coaxed. "You can't just wander off somewhere hyenas have been! What if they come back?"

Refusing to listen to sound advice, Timon managed to sneak away from his life of wrecking tunnels long enough to visit the place where the humans had been. When he returned to his home, he was nearly demented.

"Humans have such great lives!" he told the other meerkats. "I want to live like a human instead of an animal!"

"But you _are_ an animal," his mother replied. "If nature had intended for you to be a human, you would have been born into a human family instead of a meerkat colony! You can't try to be something you're not, Timmy."

"But maybe if we got what we needed with money instead of having to kill or be eaten, those mook hyenas would leave us in peace!" Timon argued.

For the record, there was a time in his life when Timon lived like a human. This all began after he met Pumbaa. They had their own "TV series," whatever that means. (I'm not too familiar with human terms.) The two of them even built a "movie theater." Almost everyone on the savanna has visited it at one time or the other, but I have no wish to do so. I want nothing to do with anything related to humans.

While Timon was busy ruining his own life, the three miscreant clan leaders of ours were busy ruining everyone else's. Banzai, Shenzi, and Ed loved bullying everyone more helpless than they were. They were far too cowardly to fight fair or hunt properly. It's hyenas like them that give the rest of us a bad name. I won't say these three are the entire reason we still have a bad reputation, but they certainly aren't helping us any.

Our clan lived in wasteland known as the "Elephant Graveyard." (It was the one area the lions didn't want.) In case anyone's curious, the land was desolate when we found it. The lions blamed us for killing all those elephants, but anyone who thinks about it for ten seconds will understand how it just isn't possible. There are a lot of us in the clan, but not enough to kill hundreds of elephants, even over the course of several generations. Besides, we much prefer smaller prey. Elephants are a real challenge for even a pride of lions to take down. A pack of hyenas would really have their work cut out for them.

King Mufasa offered us an excellent deal once. He would have his lions avoid all our favorite waterholes and hunting grounds, and we hyenas would avoid his pride's favorites in return. The system worked out wonderfully. We weren't at peace with the lions, but there was a sort of truce. We avoided each other and had fewer conflicts.

Scar, who never was king as far as I'm concerned, ruined all that. He spread lies that the lionesses were taking the best hunting grounds for themselves, even though King Mufasa was far too just to allow members of his pride to do such a thing. Scar eventually convinced Shenzi and Banzai that he was an ally to the hyenas; he wanted there to be peace between the two species, and he was making it his personal responsibility to see that the hyenas were treated well. Even though Scar was an erratic jerk who didn't deserve to live, he was an excellent liar. He could make anyone believe him, and he made such wonderful promises that our clan leaders were more than willing to accept him as their boss.

If it had been up to me, we would have driven Scar away then and there, but it was not up to me. When a clan leader makes a decision another hyena doesn't like, there are two choices. The one who disapproves can challenge the leader to a fight or just go along with the plan anyway. I knew I could never win a duel against Shenzi, particularly not with Banzai and Ed on her side, so I kept my mouth shut. The day Scar made the announcement began a period of time that was the worst of my life.

"Sarabi has a new cub!" Scar exclaimed. "I want you to get rid of him! As long as Mufasa has a prince, I have no chance of becoming king!"

A short time after Prince Simba's birth, one of the stupidest hyenas in our clan tried to sneak up to Pride Rock and eat the newborn cub. One important thing to remember if you're a hyena is that you must never, under any circumstances, stroll into the midst of a pride of lions alone. It rarely works out, and that evening was no exception. I suspect the lions ate well that night.

Not long afterwards, ten of the most cunning hyenas in our clan actually succeeding in capturing the baby lion and bringing him to the Elephant Graveyard. (I have no idea how they did it. Perhaps the lionesses were off hunting and King Mufasa was patrolling the borders of his land.) Anyway, the hyenas planned to kill Prince Simba the next morning as part of a ritual instead of just eating him immediately. (I have no idea why. Eating immediately reduces the chances of anyone scavenging your meal.) I asked that I be the one in charge of guarding the cub for the night to make sure no one tried to steal him. The other hyenas agreed that it sounded like a great idea and gave him to me.

It is true that hyenas eat young animals, just as human beings eat veal and lamb, but I didn't want to see the prince killed, especially not after King Mufasa had worked out an acceptable compromise for our two species. I gently picked up Prince Simba in my jaws, just as a mother lion would, and I carried him to a waterhole the lions liked to use. I knew if I waited until he was found, I would be blamed for trying to kill him. However, if I left, another predator would eat him. I decided to stay. When I heard King Mufasa's heavy footsteps, I seized the opportunity to run for my life, but my curiosity compelled me to hide nearby.

"Oh, Sire! He's safe!" a small bird exclaimed. "Thank the Circle of Life and the Great Kings of the Past!" He gasped. "Sire, your paws are trembling! Are you injured?"

"Only terrified," King Mufasa replied, gently cradling his son. "I thought I might lose him."

"I can't understand it, Sire! He was surrounded by hyenas before anyone realized what was happening or where they had taken him! How is it he is still alive? It's almost as if one of the hyenas saved his life, but we all know that's impossible!"

No longer frightened, King Mufasa announced, "Never again will I allow hyenas to come this close to killing my son!"

As his father took him home, the baby lion, who was obviously too young to understand what had just happened, smiled at me. I waved goodbye to the lion prince and ran home. The way I saw it, I couldn't afford to spend too long wrapped in sentimentality. If even a cub could see where I was hiding, it wouldn't be long before an adult lion found me, falsely accused me of trespassing, and succeeded in ending my life.

Naturally the other hyenas were furious when they couldn't find the cub to kill him the next morning, and as I had been in charge of him, the blame fell on me. It was only by providing a gazelle for my clan leaders that I was able to escape being mauled.


	4. We're Talking Kings and Successions

**We're Talking Kings and Successions**

Scar was a sneaking, conniving scoundrel, even with his own species. When Prince Simba was a little older, Scar tricked him into visiting the Elephant Graveyard. The penalty for a lion invading our home was the same as one of us invading theirs: immediate death. Only minutes earlier, five hyenas had barely escaped King Mufasa's wrath after crossing into the Pride Lands.

Prince Simba had a friend with him, and Zazu had accompanied them. Banzai, who lived for moments of unnecessary cruelty, seized the bird and placed him on the nearest geyser. Zazu had the presence of mind to fly to the Pride Lands for help while Banzai and the other two attempted to murder the prince and his friend.

Anyone who sees Shenzi's face will no doubt notice the scars across her cheek. They aren't deep, and she can usually hide them, but whoever gets close enough to converse with her will notice. Showing every ounce of his father's courage, Simba swiped his claws across the clan leader's face as she was about to seize Nala with jaws more powerful than even a lion's.

In the end, it wasn't enough. The three ruffians managed to trap the cubs.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty!" Banzai taunted.

I'll say this for Prince Simba: He just didn't know when to give up. He tried so hard to roar, but the pathetic sound he made was a poor excuse. All he succeeded in doing was making a joke.

"That was it?" Shenzi laughed. "Do it again! Come on!"

Eveyone was caught off guard by the thunderous roar that seemed to shake the entire Graveyard.

"Huh?"

Their question was answered by powerful paws rapidly administering painful blows. King Mufasa had come to rescue his son, and he wasn't fooling around. He meant business. All three hyenas caught a solid hit, knocking them off their feet. They then felt claws across their sides when they tried to rise. Every time a hyena tried to fight back, the lion king easily blocked the counterattack. The hyenas were defeated, and they knew it. Realizing there was no point fighting back, they finally concentrated on escaping, but the monarch wasn't finished with them yet. When King Mufasa believed they had been punished severely enough, he pinned them to the ground.

Shenzi was terrified. "Oh! Please! Please! Uncle! Uncle!"

Banzai couldn't think of how to plea. All he could do was complain of the pain. "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"SILENCE!" King Mufasa ordered.

"Hey, come on, we're gonna shut up right now!" Banzai replied.

"Calm down! We're really sorry!" Shenzi began.

The king's face was pure wrath. "If you ever come near my son again…!"

Shenzi had an idea. "Oh, this is…this is _your_ son?"

Banzai played along. "Oh, yours?"

"Did you know that?"

"No! Me? I—I—I didn't know it! No! Did you?"

"No! Of course not!"

Turning to their companion, they both asked, "Ed?"

Honesty is the best policy unless you're dealing with an enraged adversary. Ed, who had no doubt lost over half his brain cells by this time, nodded to show he had indeed known whose son he had tried to kill.

The king roared again in agitation.

Banzai chuckled nervously. "Toodles!"

With that, the three villains ran off, yelping and whimpering like frightened cubs. If you ask me, they deserved exactly what they got (perhaps an even harsher penalty), but when I stop to consider the situation, I realize that no one is to blame. By either nature's design or the feud that has lasted so long that we continue it out of habit, hyenas eat young lions. That is just the way of the Circle of Life. That being, I can't blame my clan leaders for attacking the prince, especially since the Circle of Life also moves us all to vanquish whoever trespasses on our land. However, the love between a parent and a cub is a sweet and powerful force, a force that often proves stronger than the love for life itself. With all things taken into consideration, I can't blame King Mufasa for rescuing his son. Neither the leonine monarch nor the hyena leaders were at fault for their actions. The only one truly guilty was Scar.

Banzai later made the mistake of commenting on the scratch marks on his hips. "Man, that lousy Mufasa! I won't be able to sit for a week!"

That got Ed to laughing.

"It's not funny, Ed!"

Being told not to laugh tends to make anyone laugh harder, as Ed demonstrated.

"Hey, shut up!"

Since Ed would not stop laughing, Banzai lunged at him.

Shenzi, who had been watching the whole thing, was obviously irritated. "Will you knock it off?"

"Well, he started it!" Banzai complained.

"Look at you guys! No wonder we're dangling at the bottom of the food chain!"

"Man, I hate dangling!"

"Yeah!" Shenzi agreed. "You know, if it weren't for those lions, we'd be running the joint!"

"Man, I hate lions!"

"So pushy!"

"And hairy!"

"And stinky!"

"And, man, are they…!"

"Ugly!" Shenzi and Banzai exclaimed together, breaking into a fit of laughter.

They hadn't been expecting a visit from Scar. To shorten what would otherwise be a lengthy story, Scar was tired of waiting. He was going to be king, and no one was going to stop him. His lies worked their way down from the clan leaders to the social outcasts, gaining him the support of nearly every hyena in our area of the savanna. They allowed themselves to be fooled into believing they'd have plenty of the one thing everyone from carnivore to herbivore depends on so desperately.

_We'll have food_

_Lots of food_

_We repeat_

_Endless meat_

How blind they were! How ignorant and foolish! Couldn't they see that Scar was not really our ally? He was just using us to obtain his own goals! He didn't care about our well-being!

I knew better, but I didn't say anything. I didn't want any trouble.

The next day, Scar told our clan leaders to cause a wildebeest stampede in the gorge where Prince Simba was playing. Scar was so brutal! He told the prince before the stampede to stay on a certain rock. If the cub had stayed on the rock, the wildebeests would have run around him, and he would not have been in danger of being trampled. Scar had told Prince Simba exactly how to survive the stampede, but he had used sadistic psychology to make sure his own nephew would put himself in danger!

King Mufasa did what he had always done best. He defied incredible odds to save his son from a cruel fate. That would have made a lovely story, but Scar wasn't finished. As King Mufasa attempted to climb to safety, Scar threw him off a cliff.

I am told that in the human world, there are also unanswered questions about murders. In our world, the question is this: Did King Mufasa give his life, or did Scar take it?


	5. This Was Our Home

**This Was Our Home**

Whether you want to say that Scar murdered King Mufasa or that the king gave his life to save his son, the fact remains that the only lion to mix justice with mercy for us was dead. Scar attempted to blame Prince Simba. Anyone who remembers anything about Scar will recall that he was an excellent liar. He fully convinced the prince to exile himself. As his nephew ran into the distance, Scar ordered the three brutes, our clan leaders, to kill what King Mufasa had died for. If the Great Kings of the Past really look down from the stars, they were certainly watching over Prince Simba that day. He escaped with his life, aided by thorns that hindered his pursuers.

That night, Scar gave the most beautiful funeral oration I had ever heard, ending with, "Mufasa's death was a terrible tragedy, but to lose Simba, who had barely begun to live…for me, it is a deep personal loss, so it is with a heavy heart that I assume the throne, yet out of the ashes of this tragedy, we shall rise to greet the dawning of a new era in which lion and hyena come together in a great and glorious future!"

I knew this was a mistake, but I said nothing. I had to keep my wits about me.

The next day, I presented my first petition to Scar. "Your Majesty, I ask that I be put in charge of all the cubs in your kingdom. They are young. They do not understand what has happened. They need someone to teach them that you are the rightful king and that you deserve their perfect obedience in all things. They will listen to me, and those who don't…" I licked my lips eagerly.

"An excellent idea!" he complimented. "I shall place you in charge of not only the lion cubs, but the young leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas as well! Even the caracal and serval kittens will be under your authority!"

He issued a decree that all mothers of the previously mentioned species entrust their young to me at a certain time each day. Of course I didn't really teach the cubs and kittens to respect Scar's authority. I abhor dishonesty, but when I'm forced into it, I use it rather well, especially against adversaries.

"Scar is not the king," I told my students. "I am not saying it is good to rebel against the government, but Scar has no real power over you. For your own safety, you must pretend like he is your king, but there will be another ruler someday, someone who has the right to claim the throne, and to that leader and his followers will I gladly pledge my loyalty."

I also taught them that there are other ways to coexist. "Your species have been hating each other for years. Everyone knows about the enmity between lions and hyenas, and I know there are other feuds between different species. It doesn't have to be that way. Perhaps when the new king comes, there can be a sort of peace or at least a truce among us all."

Since I was the one in charge of the cubs, no one was allowed to eat any of them without my permission, which I never gave. The cheetah mothers rejoiced. I have heard that most cheetahs lose 90% of their cubs, mostly to lions and hyenas. For this reason, it is said that cheetahs never prosper, but since the lions and hyenas were not allowed to attack young cheetahs without my approval, the survival rate in our small area of the Serengeti was much higher.

"How can I ever repay you?" cheetah mothers would often ask me. "You have the power to destroy all our cubs, yet you are using that authority to help them survive!"

I always gave the same reply. "A new king will come someday, someone who actually has the right and wisdom to lead. When he arrives, teach your cubs to be loyal to him."

"You're different from other hyenas."

"Even though most animals are somewhere in the middle, there are some members of every species who live by extremes. If my clan leaders are going to be the epitomes of evil, I want to be the epitome of mercy. Everything exists together in a delicate balance. If there is extreme brutality without extreme clemency while those in the middle are just trying to get by, the balance will be upset, and it will be a disaster to us all."

Forgive me, but I was insanely jealous. When I saw the way mothers looked at their cubs, or even the way herbivores looked at their calves or fawns, it was more than I could stand. It was worst of all with my own species. I would hear the happy giggles of baby hyenas, cubs who still had dark fur without spots, and my heart would sink faster than a crocodile's victim. That special love would never be mine; I was surrounded by cubs but would never have any of my own. No one would ever come to me for comfort during their first storm in the rainy season. No one would ever use me as a target when practicing hunting techniques. I would never have the pleasure of seeing someone sleep peacefully at my paws, completely trusting me to keep watch.

It wasn't long before I had more to worry about that my own emotions. Scar had no idea how to keep the ecosystem in check, how to pick off the sick and weak so the healthy and strong would have a chance to thrive. Just like many human beings, he killed more than he ne needed to survive, and he encouraged the hyenas to do the same. We hyenas truly aren't "slobbering, mangy, stupid poachers," but many of my clan members became such under the tyrant's influence. I highly discourage any form of rebellion against the government, but if I may be forgiven for saying so, there are times when I wanted to kill Scar.

The lush, green territory became dark and barren. Many animals began calling it "the shadow of what the Pride Lands used to be." The name stuck, eventually becoming shortened to "Shadow of the Pride Lands" or simply "Shadow Land."

In addition to causing a food shortage, Scar imposed ludicrous laws with harsh penalties. I was always considered an outcast, even by my own kind, so I survived by my wits. No one took any notice of me, so I escaped both the unjust laws and the hostility caused by two rival species inhabiting the same area.

King Mufasa wasn't the only one to be killed. All our hopes and dreams, our very future, died under Scar. From the crawling ant to the leaping antelope, none of us felt like we had much of a life left. Then there was the day we had the horrible realization that we would all literally perish from starvation.

A young lioness, who had reached adulthood but was still young enough for adventure, decided one day that she could no longer tolerate seeing all traces of her homeland vanish before her eyes. After explaining her quest to the other lionesses, she planned to set off hunting one day and "forget" to return. I saw her as she reached the border of "Scar's" land.

"What brings you here?" she exclaimed in surprise.

"King Scar has ordered me to stand guard. No one may enter or leave the Pride Lands without his approval," I responded.

"Are you going to tell him?"

I lowered my voice to a barely audible whisper. "Go, Nala. Find help for us all. Bring back a true king who will care about his loyal subjects, someone worthy of King Mufasa's throne, and may our prayers guide you wherever the journey leads you. May the Great Kings of the Past watch over you."

"And you," she replied.

"Thank you."

As she slipped away, I relished the moment. Ever since Scar killed his own brother, I had hoped for freedom from tyranny, and now there was actually a chance it would happen.

"And you"? Had Nala been implying a wish that the Great Kings of the Past watch over me as well? I personally have never believed in a bunch of royal dead guys watching us, but I know that coming from a lion, it's a high compliment to wish that the spirits of these rulers guide someone. I'd never been complimented or wished well by a lion before.

"Maybe it's a myth," I mused. "Maybe things can change. Maybe we can one day learn to coexist without hatred. Do lions and hyenas have to be eternal enemies?"


	6. Be Prepared For Sensational News

**Be Prepared For Sensational News**

I could hardly believe it at first, but Nala's idea of "getting help" involved the return of King Mufasa's own son, Prince (or rather _King _)Simba! He was alive! The true king I had hoped would come was the very one that had been in line to inherit the throne all along!

"Hyenas! I hate hyenas! So what's your plan for getting past those guys?"

I recognized the voice. It was Timon, the demented meerkat who had an obsession with human culture.

"Live bait!"

That voice was unfamiliar to me. I supposed it was the new king, and I began to get nervous. All I wanted to do was make a good first impression, but I had been born of the wrong species to hope to be of service in some way.

"Good idea. Hey!"

"Come on, Timon! You guys have to create a diversion!"

"What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?"

"If that's what it takes."

"Simba, I was being sarcastic. I don't even have a proper hula skirt."

"Make one!"

Whispering to avoid waking the other members of my clan, I dared join the conversation. "Pardon me."

King Simba glared at me. "What do you want, hyena?"

"I know where there is still enough greenery for him to make a skirt and lei, and he can even find a flower for his hair," I answered.

"It sounds like a trap," the king retorted.

"No," Nala gently contradicted. "She's not like the others. We can trust her."

I took them to one of the last remaining areas of foliage left in the kingdom.

"I should go before the others wake up and find out I left," I stated. "I'll make sure the other hyenas fall for your clever plan. Good luck, King Simba, and when you assume the throne, remember that not all hyenas are as malicious as the three who attacked you years ago. There are a few evil ones among us, but most hyenas just want enough food and space to raise their families in peace, just as lions do."

The hula diversion worked like a charm. I typically don't care for human dances, but I must admit Timon certainly used his creativity to its full extent. After the initial rush of confusion, wondering what he was doing, the hyenas saw only a delicate morsel after years of near starvation. They can't be blamed. Any species would relish the opportunity to eat something appetizing, whatever that "something" may be to them, after going so long without enough to be sated.

Tension was high and tempers were flaring. When King Simba forced Scar to confess to the late King Mufasa's murder, the conflict that had been brewing for so long was finally released in full fury. Years of living under tyranny had pushed the lionesses to the edge, and they weren't about to put up with any more.

I was confused about what I should do. To refuse to become involved would have been cowardice, but to fight against my own clan would have been treason. After pausing to think for a few moments, I had a better idea. I managed to rally a small group of hyenas.

"Scar promised you would never again go hungry if you gave him your support!" I began. "How many of you had that promise broken within his first week as king? How many of you think things are worse now than they were under Mufasa? How many of you think we ought to give Simba a chance, for he would at least make sure everyone hunted fairly? How many of you think it's time for Scar to leave?"

Word spread quickly throughout our clan. It turns out almost everyone was getting tired of Scar's reign of terror, and we agreed it was time he abdicated. All we needed was a good excuse to "convince" him.

He was kind enough to provide one for us. "It's the hyenas who are the real enemy! It was their fault! It was their idea!"

You can make a lot of mistakes around hyenas. You can insult us, and we'll ignore you. You can hate us, and we won't care. However, we NEVER handle betrayal well. Giving trust and pledging loyalty are how we hyenas honor someone, so we get EXTREMELY irate if somebody goes against us after pretending to be our friend.

"A meal fit for a king or a king fit for a meal?" I asked rhetorically. "Scar has provided food for us after all!"

The others got into position. Even our clan leaders joined our plot!

Scar had no idea what was happening, which shows how "intelligent" he was. "Ah, my friends!"

"Friends?" Shenzi laughed. "I thought he said we were the enemy!"

"Yeah!" agreed Banzai. "That's what I heard."

Scar was beginning to realize what was on our minds.

"Ed?" the first two asked together.

Ed laughed. This was hardly unusual, but his laugh sounded different this time. It was not the insane laughter of a lunatic, but the evil chuckle of someone about to commit regicide.

Despite Scar's protests, we launched our attack. Every hyena was tearing him apart, but for the record, I was the one to deliver the fatal bite. I, who had yearned so often for peace with lions and insisted on hunting fairly, became Scar's murderess. At the time I had no regrets, and looking back, I still don't. The way I see it, there's a difference between murdering the innocent and executing someone who deserves it, and Scar's demise would certainly be classified as the latter.

King Simba said we didn't have to live in the Elephant Graveyard any more, but we weren't welcome in the Pride Lands either. The compromise was acceptable, and I'm pleased to report that we don't often see the lions. It isn't exactly peace, but it's better than nothing, right?

In due time, I was blessed with a niece. Maybe I will never get to be a mother, but now I have a cub to nurture. I love her as if she were my own daughter, and I could ask for nothing more. If the Great Kings of the Past do indeed look down on us, they have smiled upon me.


	7. Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

**Can You Feel the Love Tonight?**

I may be one of the better representatives of my species, but that doesn't mean I'm above playing tricks on others. I got to thinking of a great one the other day, so I spread word among the other clan members that Banzai was to be married to Shenzi, "but don't let them know I said that; it's supposed to be a surprise. Just me at the waterhole at dusk."

My next step was visiting with Shenzi. "Great leader, would it not be wonderful to play a trick on the clan, a harmless prank just for a laugh?"

She smiled. "It's been a while since I've done something like that! You've got my attention!"

"I happen to know that the clan will be meeting for some reason or the other at the waterhole at dusk. What if you and Banzai were to pretend to get married? It would sure surprise everyone, and then you could laugh at how gullible they are!"

Shenzi cackled. "That's just wrong! I love it!"

So far, so good. Now all I had to do was talk to Banzai. He wasn't as easy to convince.

"Pretend to marry Shenzi as a joke? You're kidding, right?"

"Exactly!" I answered. "Look, if a meerkat can fake a proposal to her, you can fake a wedding. It's not like this will really be happening."

He nodded. "I suppose you have a point. I'll do it."

Now came the trickiest part of the plan. I had to speak with Zazu, and he lived in the Pride Lands, an area off limits to hyenas. As luck would have it, he was near the border of his land and ours.

"Zazu, may I speak with you, please?" I requested.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"I wish to offer myself as the object of Princess Kiara's pouncing lessons for a week," I replied.

"And in return?"

"Perform a wedding ceremony. I know that as the king's majordomo, you have the authority to do so by the laws of the animal kingdom. I wish for two of my clan members to be married."

"Do they wish this?" he asked.

"Not entirely. It's sort of a lowdown trick."

"Now, see here, madame! I know you hyenas enjoy your jokes, but I have no intention of taking any part in a hyena wedding, especially not when the couple is entirely unaware that they have become affianced."

"It's Shenzi and Banzai," I explained.

"Well, those two certainly deserve each other! I should be honored to assist you, but it will cost you a fortnight of pouncing lessons rather than a week!"

"Done."

At dusk, everyone met as planned.

"Let's get this over with before King Simba finds out where I've been!" Zazu exclaimed. "Do you, Shenzi, take this hyena, Banzai, to be your lifelong mate?"

"Oh sure!" she replied sarcastically.

"And do you, Banzai, take this hyena, Shenzi, to be your lifelong mate?"

Banzai laughed. "Yeah!"

"Then by the power invested in me by the Circle of Life as the king's majordomo, I hereby pronounce you two legally married." With that, Zazu flew off.

Ed started laughing hysterically, rolling on the ground and pounding the dirt with his paws. He gasped for breath as tears poured from his eyes.

"What's so funny?" Shenzi demanded.

Another hyena explained, "Boss, what Zazu says is true. He is the king's majordomo, so he does have the authority to pronounce someone to be legally married. This was a real wedding."

Shenzi's jaw dropped. Banzai looked like he was about to have a heart attack. Ed continued to laugh. I almost pitied them. Banzai and Shenzi have been close friends for years, but I don't think either of them had ever contemplated matrimony.

They probably would have mangled me if the other clan members hadn't thought the entire ordeal was hilarious. We've all been teasing the two "lovebirds" about their wedding. Zazu's right. The two of them do deserve each other.

My niece keeps asking me when my wedding will be. I don't have the heart to tell her that as I am a low-ranking member of the clan and a bit unusual for a hyena, no one will ever marry me. It's not as bad as it seems. I've shown King Simba that not all hyenas are evil, and some of the cubs I trained under Scar's rule are now royal advisors. I have good health and my own sweet niece, and my clan leaders have finally gotten what they deserve. What more could I want?


End file.
